Coincidental vehicle door locking system



will Sept. 28, 1948. J, CRAIG 2,450,372

COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKiNG SYSTEM Filed lay 3. 1944 16Sheets-Sheet 1 J INVENTOR.

5. J. CRAIG COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEH Sept. 28, 1948.

16 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

Filed llay 3. 1944 Sept. 28, 1948. A G 2,450,372

COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM Filed May 3. 1944 16Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

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COINCIDENTAL, VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM 16 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 3.1944 IN VEN TOR.

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COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM 16 Sheets-Sheet 6 -Sept. 28,1948.

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Filed May 3 Sept. 28, 1948. a. J. CRAIG 2,450,372

COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM Filed May 3. 1944 16Sheets-Sheet 8 2790 179C 'nsbq IBI as E I85 INVENTOR.

f Sept. 28, 1948. B. J. CRAIG 2,450,372

COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM Filed May 3, 1944 16Sheets-Sheet 9 Sept. 28, 1948. B. J. CRAIG COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOORLOCKING SYSTEM 16 Sheets-Shea t 10 Filed May 3, 1944 Sept. 28, 1948. B.J G 2,450,372 CUINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM Filed May 3, 1944l6 Sheets-Sheet ll INVBVTOR.

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SEpt. 28, 1948. a. J. CRAIG COINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM 16Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed May 3. 1944 mmn v F Sept. 28, 1948. a. J. CRAIGCOINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM 16 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed May 3.1.944

INVENTOR.

3 Sept. 28, B. J cRAlG COINCIDBNTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM 16Sheets-Sheet 15 Filed May 3, 1944 INVENTOR Sept. 28, 1948. J. CRAIGCOINCIDENTAL VEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM 16 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed May 3,1944 Patented Sept. 28, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COINCIDENTALVEHICLE DOOR LOCKING SYSTEM 15 Claims.

This invention relates to a latch mechanism which is particularly,although not exclusively, adapted for use in connection with the doorsof automotive vehicles, a general object being to provide a mechanismincluding cooperating parts adapted to be mounted upon the door and/orframe and/or body pillar with the parts acting in improved and eflectivemanner so that the door may be closed quietly, may be readily locked andmay be opened safely and easily.

One consideration which ha rendered solution of door securingcomplicated is due to the fact that both the body pillar and the doorpillar must be extremely narrow so that the vision of the driver andother occupants of the vehicle will not be impaired. The window glassguide must be positioned close to the pillar and the control from theoutside handle to the latch release must pass between the inner face 01'the pillar and the adjacent face of the glass guide.

As a result efforts have been directed to construction permitting asnarrow uprights between the windows as possible. However, the ordinarylock with the shaft passing through the door cannot be used with anarrow pillar. Hence, various forms of narrow pillar locks have beendesigned in the last twenty years to allow the operating connections topas around the sliding window while occupying as little space aspossible.

A number of patents have been granted relating to structures forcoincidental locks for doors of automobiles, for instance HardestyReissue Patent 19,073, and other patents along similar lines. In many ofthese patents the coincidental looking means positively locks the doorsagainst opening and this is objected to by many riders. Also, most ofthe coincidental locking systems are complicated and/or are diflicult tooperate and so have not come into extensive use.

In automotive vehicle door mountings the usual construction providesindependent dovetail and latch members. the latch including a boltmember which engages a strike and the dovetail including a socket memberon the pillar and a companion projecting member on the door. Thisconstruction of dovetail is objectionable since the projecting dovetailmember i in the way and is frequently struck by passengers entering andleaving the vehicle and further objection arises from the fact that thedovetail must be kept lubricated so that frequently the passengersclothes are soiled due to striking the greasy dovetail. A reversal inmounting with the socket member on the door and the projecting companionmember on the pillar adds other problems and does not provide asolution.

Eii'orts have been made to provide a combined dovetail and latch and anumber of patents have been granted [or such constructions. In thesedesigns, however, the constructions have usually included the feature ofusing the socket member on the door with the projecting member on thepillar and with the socket member carrying a latch bolt which is movableinto a notch on the projecting member. This construction is typified byKehoe Patent 1,275,700, August 13, 1918. Such constructions do notovercome all of the problems mentioned and add other problems.

The conventional automotive vehicle door latch bolt has been in thenature of a. push member which is urged to engaged position by a verystrong spring. In opening the door the heavy bolt spring must becompressed by rotating an inside or an outside actuator. The forcesinvolved are such that a very strong support must be arranged for thebolt and for the proper mounting oi! the handle.

Further, in the conventional latch construction the bolt is mounted on aplate which carries more or less of the control members for the bolt.This plate is mounted on the inside or the outside of the rear panel ofthe door in such manner that original assembly is troublesome andrepairs are difllcult and time wasting.

In an automobile the remote inside door handle is usually located whereit is readily accessible for operation by a youngster. Many accidentshave occurred by youngsters operating the remote inside door handle tounlatch and open the vehicle door while the vehicle was in motion. Otheraccidents have occurred by occupants unintentionally striking oractuating the remote inside door handle to retract the bolt and throwthe door open while the vehicle is in motion.

In many vehicles the doors are made to open from the rear because of thedanger 01 opening a door while the vehicle is travelling, with theresuit that the passing air column will frequently catch the door andthrow it open. This last feature requires that the rear door be hung onthe central body pillar thus requiring that this pillar be made muchheavier, and further, this compels the rear seat occupants to clamberover the rear lender and clothing is frequently soiled in doing this.

Many persons object to riding in a vehicle the doors of which are lockedand therefore it is impractical to provide mean to positively lock thecar door when the car is running.

Thevieneral object of the invention is to overcome or minimize theobjections noted and in addition to provide other advantages.

A more specific object of the invention is to provide a novelcoincidental door locking system for the doors of an automotive vehicle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel coincidentaldoor locking system wherein when the mechanism is in locked conditionthe shutting of any door will cause the doors to be unlocked and whereinwhen the mechanism is in locked condition the actuation of a memberwhile the doors are being closed will cause the doors to remain locked.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door securing systemincluding a novel vehicle speed controlled release means for the doorlatches which may be operated to open a door only with difllculty whilethe vehicle is in motion but which can be readily operated when thevehicle is still thus avoiding accidental opening or opening by childrenor others.

Another object of the invention is to provide a door securing meansincluding a novel vehicle speed controlled, bolt release member remotefrom the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel bolt member fora door latch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel rotary remotecontrol member for releasing the latch of an automotive vehicle door.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a bolt includingnovel release members carried by the bolt and operable to release alatch.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel outsidecontrolled actuator for a door latch wherein a sliding operator memberis employed so that but one layer of material is required between thewindow run and the outer wall or the door pillar.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel bolt sub-assemblywhich can be readily secured in place or readily removed.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel catch member foruse with closures.

A further object of the invention is to provide a catch member includinga novel toggle control therefor.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel catch memberhousing,

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel blank for makinga catch member housing.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel support for acatch release mechanism.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel dovetailconstruction.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel wedge member foruse in a dovetail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means formounting the wedge member of a dovetail.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel door securingmeans wherein a bolt engages a wedge recess and wherein a catch engagesthe bolt outside of the area of engagement between the bolt and thewedge recess.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a catch memberincluding a novel release therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel inside doorhandle and catch release member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel outside handle andcatch release member.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel door handlemounting means.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel catch releasemember which is adapted to be mounted on a support such as a handle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means formounting a latch operating member on a door handle.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a novel anatomicallycorrect combined grip and latch releasing member for a vehicle door.

A further object of the invention is to provide a. novel handleincluding means permitting it to be angularly adjusted.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel means forcoupling vehicle speed control members and/or coincidental latch membersin a vehicle door securing construction.

Doors frequently stick after the latch is released and an object of thisinvention is to provide a novel means tending to cause the door to beurged towards open position. In the disclosure this is accomplished by aspring means associated with the bolt and acting when the latch isreleased in opening the door to initiate opening movement of the doorduring a very small angular sweep thereof and alter a lighter springpartially overcomes door inertia so that the door may be further openedwith but little force.

In the disclosure one embodiment of the invention includes door securingmeans wherein the latch for each door is independently locked by meansshown as a manually movable member mounted within the vehicle with themanual means disposed adjacent to each other and having substantiallythe same path of movement whereby a single movement by an operator, asby sweeping a finger over the members. will cause simultaneous operationof both members to thus simultaneously lock or unlock a plurality oi thelatch means. In this construction simplification of operating parts issecured and without material sacrifice of operating emciency.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from thefollowing description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings. wherein:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary side elevation showing a vehicle equipped withlatches embodying the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the bolt support blank;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the completed support;

Fig. 4 is an isometric view showing the bolt assembly;

Fig. 5 is a side elevation. partly in section and with parts brokenaway. showing the bolt;

Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view of the bolt looking in the direction of thearrow 66. Fig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a section taken on line i-l. Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a section taken on line 8-8, Fig. 5;

Fig. 9 is a view similar to Fig. 8 with the parts in another position;

Fig. 10 is an isometric view with parts broken away showing the mannerin which the bolt parts are assembled;

Fig. 11 is an isometric view with parts broken away, showing the outsiderelease member and its mountings;

Fig. 12 is an isometric view. with parts broken away. showing the mannerin which the outside release member is assembled;

camera Fig. 13 is an isometric view showing the outside push releasemember;

m4 is an isometric view showing the clip (or supporting the outsiderelease member;

Fig. 15 is a sectional view taken on line iS-IS, Fig. i, and on anenlarged scale;

Fig. 16 is a sectional view taken on line iI-li, Fig. 15;

Fig. 17 is a fragmentary top plan view, with parts broken away. showingthe outside handle;

Fig. 18 is a view taken on line ll-IO, Fig. 15;

Fig. 19 is a view taken on line la-ll, Fig. 18;

Fig. 20 is a section taken on line 20-20, Fig. 18;

Fig. 21 is a sectional view showing the bolt and outside handle mountedupon the door and with the outside release member in catch releasingposition;

Fig. 22 is a view similar to Fig. 21 showing the inside release memberin catch releasing position;

Fig. 23 is a view similar to Fig. 21 showing the manner in which theoutside release member may be operated to catch releasing position whilethe door is in fully opened position;

Fig. 24 is a sectional view taken on line 24-24, Fig. 16, showing theinside release member:

Fig. 25 is a top plan view showing the inside release member;

Fig. 26 is an extended view showing the elements of the inside releasemember;

Fig. 27 is a view similar to Fig. 24 showing the members prior toassembly;

Fig. 28 is an isometric view showing the inside release rocker arm;

Fig. 29 is a plan view of the latch housing blank;

Fig. 30 is a view of the latch housing in completed form;

Fig. 31 is a section taken on line ii-ll, Fig. 30;

Fig. 32 is a fragmentary section showing the catch casing;

Fig. 33 is a plan view or a blank from which the catch casing is made;

Fig. 34 is an isometric view showing the catch casing;

Fig. 35 is an end view of the catch casing;

Fig. 36 isa section taken on line 38-30, Fig. 32;

Fig. 37 is an isometric view showing the lower catch toggle member;

Fig. 38 is a plan view of the spring for the lower toggle member;

Fig. 39 is an isometric view or the upper toggle member;

Fig. 40 is an isometric view or the catch member;

Fig, 41 is an isometric view showing the latch housing spring:

Fig. 42 is a plan view of the blank for the catch release arm support;

Fig. 43 is a top view of the catch release arm support after the blankshown in Fig. 42 is folded:

Fig. 44 is a front view of the catch release arm supp rt;

Fig. 45 is an edge view of the catch release arm 8 1 9 Fig. 46 is a rearview or the catch release arm support;

Fig. 47 is a bottom view of the catch release arm support;

Fig. 48 is a view similar to Fig. 46 showing the dovetail member infitted position;

Fig. 49 is a sectional view through the latch 6 housing with the catchrelease arm therein and showing the parts in the position they occupywhen the bolt is aproaching latching position and before the boltstrikes the catch;

Fig. 50 i a view similar to Fig. 49 showing the bolt striking the catchand depressing the latter;

Fig. 51 is a view similar to view 49 showing the position taken as thebolt moves outwardly (with the toggle broken) and the catch moving withthe bolt;

Fig. 52 is an extended view showing the elements of the dovetail member;

Fig. 53 is a side elevation oi the dovetail member in assembled form;

Fig. 54 is a bottom view oi the dovetail member;

Fig. 55 is an isometric view or the dovetail member:

Fig. 56 is an isometric view showing the release arm;

Fig. 5'1 is an isometric view showing the slide arm;

Fig. 58 is an isometric view showing the release arm and slide arm inoperative relation;

Fig. 59 is an isometric view showing the unlocking arm;

Fig. 60 is a rear elevation of the latch housing with parts broken awayto show the details of the locking arm return member and showing thereturn member in normal position;

Fig. 61 is a view similar to Fig. 60 showing the locking arm returnmember being retracted by depression of the catch;

Fig. 62 is a view similar to Fig. 60 showing the locking arm returnmember advanced to normal position while the catch is still depressed;

Fig. 63 is a view similar to Fig. 60 showing the locking arm releasemember being raised as the catch rises;

Fig. 64 is an isometric view showing the locking arm return member;

Fig. 65 is an isometric view showing the unlocking member spring guide:

Fig. 66, sheet VI. is a view similar to Fig. 49 showing the actuatingarm depressed and in the act of rocking the catch release arm andthereby breaking the toggle and releasing the catch;

Fig. 67 is a sectional view with parts broken away and with parts inelevation showing the coincidental locking mechanism and the speedcontrolled mechanism;

Fig. 88 is an isometric view with parts broken away showing one of thecoincidental locking and speed controlled devices;

Fig. 69 is a view similar to view 88 showing the other locking and speedcontrolled device;

Fig. 70 is a section taken on line II-ll, Fig. 61:

Fig. '71 is a section taken on line ll-H, Fig. 67:

Fig. 72 is a section taken on line 12-42. Fig. 87;

Fig. 73 is a plan view showing the manner in which parts are assembled:

Fig. 74 is a fragmentary elevation showing a modified catch member;

Fig. 75 is a view similar to Fig. 68 showing a modified controlmechanism wherein the latches are independently locked and unlocked;

Fig. 76 is a fragmentary elevation showing parts oi the modified controlmechanism;

Fig. 7'7 is a view partly isometric and partly in section. with partsbroken away, showing a semi-coincidental locking speed controlled latchdevice.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is shown as embodied in anautomotive vehicle door latch which is indicated generally at ll.

A latch is provided for each front door II and each rear door I! of afour-door sedan type automotiv vehicle i3 although the invention is adaped for use with other types of vehicles having more or less than fourdoors. The doors are mounted on hinges l4 for movement towards and frombody pillars II. The latches III for the front and rear doors arepreferably identical with each other except for the fact that they arerights and lefts.

Each latch l includes a support or base plate l6 which may be made froma blank as shown in Fig. 2. The support includes a body portion I1 fromwhich vertical side flanges i3 extend. These flanges l8 converge towardsone end of the body and decrease in height towards the converging end. Aselvage plate is is bent up from the body portion l1 and is providedwith a slot 20 through which a bolt member (to be later described)reciprocates. The sides 2i of the slot 20 converge towards the body I1.The selvage plate includes apertures 22 through which fastening membersmay extend.

Opposite the selvage plate IS the body in cludes an inner end wall 23which has a hole 24 therein. Between the flanges i8 and the end 23 Iprovide inner flanges 25 which are arranged perpendicular to the baseplate l6 and have their upper ends 26 bent inwardly in parallel relationto the base to form wings. The body portion I1 is provided with a tongue21 which is struck therefrom and which is bent slightly inwardly whenthe parts are assembled as shown in Fig. 15. The tongue 21 serves tohold the parts assembled and to limit the forward movement of the boltas will be later described.

The support I6 receives a bolt 3|! (Fig. 10) which includes side rails3i and 32, a front end 33. a rear partition 34 and an intermediatepartition 35. The partitions 34 and 35 are provided with outwardlyopening slots 36 and 31 and the front 33 is provided with a short,inwardly extending sleeve 38 (see Figs. 6 and 15). The rails BI and 32are reduced in height at their inner ends as at 39 and 40.

The bolt is of rectangular form and the front portion is bevelledslightly as at 4| to fit the bevelled edges 2! of the slot 20.

The lower face of the bolt at one end is provided with an inner closuremember 42 (Fig. and an outer closure 43 (Fig. 4) which may be shorterthan the member 42. The various parts of the bolt may be secured inplace as by welding or the bolt may be a die casting. The member 42 isprovided with a pair of slots 44 and 45 which extend rearwardly from thefront end 33 of the bolt. The closure 43 is provided with a slot 48which opens rearwardly and which is aligned with the slot 44 previouslymentioned.

An actuating arm 41 is pivoted as at 48 at one side of the bolt on therail 3! and a second actuating arm 43 is pivoted as at 50 to the otherrail 32 of the bolt. The arm 41 extends rearwardly at I beyond the pivot48 and this rearwardly extending portion, when the bolt is assembled onthe support 16, engages the support and limits upward movement of theouter end of the arm 41 from the position shown in Fig. 4.

The arm 41 includes an ear 52 which fits in the slot 44. The arm 41 justabove the ear 52 is flat as at 53 (Fig. and this flat portion .mergesinto an inclined portion 54, the purpose of which will be presentlydescribed. The arrangement is such that when the arm 41 is pushedinwardly the ear 52 will project through the slot 44 as shown in Fig.21.

The arm 49 includes an ear 55 which projects through the slot 45. Thearm 48 includes a notch 55. The inner end of the notch 55 is defined bya sloping wall 51.

In order to operate the arm 43 I provide an operating member 63 (seeFig. 10) which may be a rod and which includes a forward end portion 6|adapted to slidably fit in the sleeve 34. The member ill includes acollar 82 held in place as by a pin 63 which engages a relatively heavyspring 64. This spring 64 engages the partition 35 and normally urgesthe collar 82 and the rod Bil rearwardly to the position shown in Fig.4. In this position the ends of the rails 3| and 33 engage the endmember 23 on the support i4.

Near the front end the member 63 includes an outwardly projecting car 65which fits in the slot 56 after the parts are assembled. When the rodBil is turned the car engaging the lower wall of the slot 56 moves thearm 48 downwardly causing the car thereon to project beyond the slot 45(see Fig. 9) and to perform a latch releasing operation as will behereinafter described.

To assemble the bolt the arms 41 and 43 are preferably first secured inposition and thereafter the rod 60 is moved to the position shown inFig. 10 with the forward end of the spring 44 engaging the partition 35and with the tongue 85 ready to slide down the inclined portion 51 ofthe slot 55. The rod Oil is then moved forward, compressing the spring64, and as it does this the tongue moves into the slot 54 and theforward end iii of the rod enters the sleeve 33 previously described.When this is done the collar 62 on the rod 60 will have just passedbeyond the partition 34 whereupon the rod 63 will be lowered so that itfits within the slots 36 and 31 with the spring 84 urging the collar 62rearwardly and thereby urging the rod 60 rearwardly.

The collar 62 is so arranged that when it is urged rearwardly againstthe partition 35 the front end 6| of the rod ill will be spaced slightlyfrom the inner wall of the front 33 as shown in Fig. 6. The flat portionof the slot 54 is longer than the width of the tongue 85. This permitsthe tongue 65 to move forward slightly when the bolt 30 is held againstadvancing by the tongue 21 and the rod 60 is pushed causing the spring34 to be compressed. The purpose of this action will be presentlydescribed.

The bolt is assembled by inserting the rod 5| through the slot 20 andthen moving the rod and bolt rearwardly until the rod passes through thehole 24 and the inner ends of the rails 3| and 32 engage the end 23 ofthe support. In this position the notches 39 and 46 on the rails II and32 of the bolt will fit beneath the wings 24 on the support and at thesame time the front 33 of the bolt will be flush with the outer face ofthe 5 111/888 plate I3.

After the bolt is thus assembled the tongue 21 is pushed upwardlyslightly so that it is in the position shown in Fig. 15 where it engagesthe front face of the partition 35 when the bolt is moved forwardly.Thus it will be seen that the parts merely have to be inserted in placeand the tongue 21 bent slightly to provide a complete bolt assembly.

The bolt assembly, which is indicated generally at in and which is bestshown in Fig. 4, further includes a tubular member 1| which is securedto the rod Gil as by a removable pin 12. The for-

